Ghana’s Eurobond Holders Pressured for Major Concessions in Debt Talks

Ghana’s eurobond holders are being urged to accept significant reductions in their payments to align with the terms agreed upon by bilateral creditors, according to social justice organizations.

London-based Debt Justice, formerly the Jubilee Debt Campaign, and Accra’s Integrated Social Development Centre (Isodec) have called for bondholders to agree to a 50% cut in debt payments, arguing that this is necessary to match the relief granted by countries such as the UK and China.

The current discussions suggest that the debt relief being considered would result in bondholders receiving 15% more than bilateral creditors.

Debt Justice and Isodec stated that for bondholders to receive terms as favorable as those extended to government creditors, a 50% reduction in their payments is essential.

Ghana is restructuring nearly all of its $44 billion obligations as part of the conditions for a $3 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) program.

After completing a domestic debt exchange last year, the nation is now close to finalizing an agreement with its bilateral lenders to restructure $5.4 billion and aims to reach a permanent deal with investors on $13 billion of US currency bonds by the end of June.

“Ghana’s negotiations with bondholders are at a crucial stage,” said a joint statement from Debt Justice and Isodec. “For a deal to be struck, bondholders must offer at least as favorable terms as government creditors, and the IMF must confirm that the terms meet their debt relief targets.”

Ghana’s initial agreement with bondholders, reached in April, was rejected by the IMF as it did not demonstrate a sufficient reduction in the country’s debt-to-GDP ratio, which is required to be reduced to 55% by 2028.

The initial proposal would have repaid bondholders 71 cents for every dollar lent, whereas an agreement in principle reached with official creditors in January offered 62 cents for every dollar lent.

“This means that for payments to bondholders to be reduced to 62 cents for every dollar lent—matching payments to governments—they would have to be cut by 50%,” stated the NGOs.

Ghana, utilizing the Group of 20’s Common Framework to reorganize its bilateral loans, recently received a draft memorandum of understanding from its official creditor committee.

The country is currently renegotiating some terms with these creditors to finalize an agreement that aligns with the January in-principle pact.

Signing this memorandum of understanding will enable the IMF to make its third disbursement of $360 million to Ghana, increasing the total amount received under the program to $1.56 billion since it began in May last year.

The G-20 framework has broadened the traditional Paris Club of sovereign creditors to include major lenders such as China, reflecting a more inclusive approach to global debt restructuring.